1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to seats used in amusement rides and especially banks of seats used in rides in which the seats are incorporated with a theater and are operated in conjunction with a motion picture that established the environment for the seats and the action of the seats.
2. State of the Art
Providing a motion simulation environment to produce physical motion to passengers in a seat has been used in theater type rides, wherein motion is imparted to the seats of the passengers to simulate the environment of the motion being depicted on the theater screen. This motion adds to the realism of the theater presentation. A variety of motion devices have been developed to meet this need. Motion simulators have traditionally been provided with three degrees of movement so as to provide heave (up and down), roll (tipping down on either side) and pitch (tipping up or down in the front or the back).
Many of the devices of the prior art are designed to operate a single chair or seat. The undesirable aspect of such systems becomes quite evident. Each seat in the theater requires its own actuation mechanism. The great number of actuators requires a large investment in physical components that are repeated for each seat in the theater. In addition, the means for driving each of the actuation mechanisms must be repeated for each seat.
Bench type simulators have been suggested in a variety of forms, with the most common being a row of seats which can move up and down, tilt from side to side, and tip toward the front or the back. Complicated platform mechanisms are required which again make the seating arrangement in a theater very expensive. In addition, there is generally no means been suggested for individual rotation of a seat in the bank of seats as opposed to simple tilting of the platform from side to side. Various examples of platform systems are shown in U.S. Pat. No. 5,509,631 and the numerous U.S. Patents referenced in U.S. Pat. No. 5,509,631.